Riding the levee along the Loire: Muides-sur-Loire to Jargeau

August 21, 2012

Camping at Bellevue in Muides-sur-Loire was basic and reasonable at 10 euros but gave us little incentive to stay in the area.
The route out of Muides was a lovely paved path that led us closer to the alarming sight we watched yesterday - the nuclear plant. The previous day we couldn't figure out why there was only one cloud in the sky....it was the result of the smoke from the two stacks at the power plant. It was a surreal experience to be cycling in a quiet rural area by the river and then to come upon a huge nuclear plant.
At Beaugency we saw an interesting bridge that spanned the Loire, 22 arches and a superb structure, the only original medieval bridge still standing. Beaugency is a charming village and one of the areas liberated by Joan of Arc in 1429. We rode up the cobblestone hills to the Tourist Office and enjoyed lunch later by the river...a worthwhile detour.
It was a day of riding the levees along the river. This provided us wtth a flat paved ride, but little relief from the heat of the sun.
We bypassed Orleans (well, we did miss a few of the velo signs and got lost) and carried on to Jargeau. The temperatures have dropped a bit, but it is still pretty hot riding conditions.
Camped at Jargeau in the Municipal L'Isle aux Moutlins campground by the river. A well run facility wiht impressive new bathrooms and as usual fresh croissants and baguettes available int the morning. Often these campgrounds host a visiting food van and we enjoyed our first pizza for supper.

The tourist office in Beaugencey was in a very old building - wonderful beams inside.

A tribute to Joan of Arc in a town square in Beaugencey.

The Tabac at Chateauneuf was an enticing sight from the dusty trail. We enjoyed a Belgian beer, Leffe.

One of many bridges we have crossed to get over the Loire.

Typical view of the Loire with many sandbanks and quite shallow.

Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 1,425 km (885 miles)

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